This invention relates to a mechanism for supporting a rectangular video cassette recorder on the upper surface of a portable television receiver cabinet.
In a typical portable television receiver cabinet the upper (top) surface of the cabinet usually includes a generally horizontal front surface section and a downwardly sloped rear surface section. The horizontal front surface section usually measures eight inches or less in depth. A typical video cassette recorder has front-to-rear depth of about fourteen inches. Therefore it is not feasible to directly support a video cassette recorder on the horizontal surface section of a television receiver (because the cassette recorder would tend to topple backwardly onto the downwardly sloped section of the television cabinet).
The present invention contemplates a video cassette recorder support mechanism that preferably includes a horizontal platform underlying the video cassette recorder. The front portion of the platform is adapted to rest on the front portion of the cabinet upper surface. Vertical posts extend downwardly from rear corner portions of the platform; a foot structure is pivotably connected to the lower end of each post for engagement with the sloped cabinet surface. The posts and associated foot structures cooperatively maintain the platform and cassette recorder in a horizontal stable attitude; the cassette recorder is thereby prevented from toppling backward onto the television cabinet sloped surface. Each foot structure may be attached to the sloped television receiver surface by a screw. Alternately the foot structure can frictionally engage the sloped surface.
The horizontal platform can have upstanding flanges on its rear edge and side edges, such that the video cassette recorder is prevented from sliding off the platform. The platform is preferably expansible and contractible in the lateral direction so that it can accept a range of different width video cassette recorders. Additionally, the platform-support posts are adjustably attached to the platform so that the platform can be adjusted in a front-to-rear direction on the television receiver cabinet in accordance with different video cassette recorder depth dimensions.
At least one other mechanism has been proposed for supporting a horizontal platform atop a portable television receiver cabinet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,701 to D. A. Otakie shows a horizontal platform 12 that is attached to a television receiver by means of an outer frame 14 and inner frame 16. Rods 18 extend between the two frames and underneath a carrying handle G to connect the platform to the television receiver. The structural arrangement proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,701 is relatively large and hence costly. Also, the arrangement of U. S. Pat. No. 3,930,701 can be used only with portable television receivers equipped with carrying handles. Many present day portable television receivers do not have such handles.
The present invention contemplates a relatively small light weight platform structure attachable to portable television receiver cabinets via two or more low cost post structures. The mechanism is adjustable to support various different video cassette recorders in the space above the television receiver.